PhotoCred: talkSPORT
Colby Covington issues apology to ATT teammate Dustin Poirier
Earlier this week former welterweight title challenger Colby Covington was campaigning for a fight against former champion Tyron Woodley, as the two have had a long-standing rivalry. During an appearance on ESPN on Tuesday, Covington discussed trying to get the fight with Woodley, but then also took aim at his teammates down at American Top Team in Florida.
Specifically, Covington took aim at former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier, a teammate of his at ATT, saying that Poirier is running from a fight with him.
“We’ve decided to put the beefs aside when we walk into ATT… I can’t say what’s going to happen in the street. He’ll probably run from me.”@ColbyCovMMA says things between himself and Dustin Poirier are civil in the gym, but the street is a different story (via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/hWk35wrG8x
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 17, 2020
“We can’t do anything at American Top Team, that’s a place of business, that’s a sanctuary. We respect the rules of American Top Team, we’ve decided to put the beefs aside when we walk into American Top Team, we keep it cool, we keep everything business. I can’t say what’s going to happen in the street, he’ll probably run from me and run home to Louisiana. We know he’s running from me in the Octagon. He ain’t ever gonna try and fight me in the Octagon.
“That’s what makes the whole thing stupid, he’s a little lightweight washout and he’s trying to call out the greatest welterweight of all-time, me, myself. The whole thing from the start is fake news and it makes no sense. The guy needs to stay in his lane, understand his role, act like a B-level job fighter and just know your role, bitch. I’m at the top of the mountain right now at the welterweight division and I’m what’s saving the UFC.”
On Wednesday, Covington would change his tone from earlier in the week and issued an apology to Poirier during an appearance on Submission Radio.
.@ColbyCovMMA came on and apologised to @DustinPoirier after comments made on @arielhelwani's show! Appreciated Colby for coming on and setting the record straight, always love having him on the show!
📽: Full response & his message to Jorge/Joanna: https://t.co/9Py0dxiGpf pic.twitter.com/Mb9Vqf9MXp
— Submission Radio (@SubmissionRadio) March 18, 2020
“I want to apologize to my teammate Dustin Poirier. I broke a promise to my agent Dan Lambert and I really do feel bad, man, I feel ashamed. Yesterday I was asked a question by [Ariel] Helwani about Dustin, my teammate. I kind of lost my cool, I was too busy spitting fire on the world, and I was so hyped up about the Woodley fight that I kind of went off on Dustin. I just want to say that I’m sorry Dustin, you’re still my friend, we can be friends, I’m sorry about hurting your feelings and saying some words in the past that might’ve hurt your feelings. Business goes back to usual at American Top Team, I want to have a civil gym. I don’t want there to be drama or beef in the gym, I want to keep things civil. If any of these guys want to come fight me, anybody out there, you know where to find me, we can fight for a lot of money in the Octagon, but why aren’t these guys talking about fighting me in the Octagon? They just keep talking about fighting me in the street.”
Colby Covington has never been one to back down from his words, or a fight with anyone who agrees to fight him, but it seems as if cooler heads have prevailed in this situation, and he doesn’t want to bring any drama with teammates into American Top Team.
